JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 27: Referee Roberto Rosetti speaks to referee assistant Stefano Ayroldi over the Carlos Tevez goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Round of Sixteen match between Argentina and Mexico at Soccer City Stadium on June 27, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 27: Javier Mascherano of Argentina speaks to referee Roberto Rosetti after team mate Lionel Messi was fouled during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Round of Sixteen match between Argentina and Mexico at Soccer City Stadium on June 27, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 27: Carlos Tevez of Argentina celebrates scoring the third goal for his team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Round of Sixteen match between Argentina and Mexico at Soccer City Stadium on June 27, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Mexico's goalkeeper Oscar Perez lies on the pitch after the third goal by Argentina during the 2010 World Cup round of 16 football match Argentina vs. Mexico on June 27, 2010 at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, a suburb of Johannesburg. - NO PUSH TO MOBILE / MOBILE USE SOLELY WITHIN EDITORIAL ARTICLE - AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANO (Photo credit should read JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images)

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 27: Gonzalo Higuain of Argentina is tackled by Ricardo Osorio of Mexico during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Round of Sixteen match between Argentina and Mexico at Soccer City Stadium on June 27, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

Mexico's striker Javier Hernandez celebrates his goal during the 2010 World Cup round of 16 football match Argentina vs. Mexico on June 27, 2010 at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, a suburb of Johannesburg. - NO PUSH TO MOBILE / MOBILE USE SOLELY WITHIN EDITORIAL ARTICLE - AFP PHOTO / DANIEL GARCIA (Photo credit should read DANIEL GARCIA/AFP/Getty Images)

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 27: Diego Maradona head coach of Argentina celebrates the third goal scored by Carlos Tevez during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Round of Sixteen match between Argentina and Mexico at Soccer City Stadium on June 27, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Then in the 33rd minute, Higuain rounded the goalkeeper to make it 2-0 after Mexico's Ricardo Osorio, under no pressure, played the ball straight into his path. In the 52nd Tevez blasted in one of the tournament's best goal, an unstoppable shot from 25 yards.

"Two mistakes ... drastically changed the course of the game," Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said. "There was a before and after."

The call on Tevez's first goal came just hours after the referee at Germany's 4-1 win over England failed to recognize that a shot by England's Frank Lampard, which would have tied the score at 2-2 late in the first half, clearly made it across the goal line after striking the crossbar.

Argentina, which also beat Mexico in round of 16 four years ago now plays Germany in the quarterfinals. That's a rematch, too – a repeat of the 2006 quarterfinals, which the Germans won. The Germans also defeated Argentina in the 1990 World Cup final.

"We know Germany is a different team than the Mexico team we faced today," Maradona said. "It's more powerful, but we'll have the right players on the pitch to face them."

Mexico's Javier Hernandez scored in the 71st.

Tevez proved difficult for Mexico's defenders to handle, and Higuain – the leading scorer at the World Cup with four goals – should have added another but headed a cross wide from close range just before halftime.

Messi, one of the best playmakers in the tournament, again failed to score and struggled in midfield for much of the game. Still he came close: His shot in the 91st minute was tipped over the bar.

The Mexicans enjoyed the better chances as the game started, with Carlos Salcido's fierce shot shaking the crossbar in the eighth minute.

After Tevez's opening goal, though, the Argentines slowly began to control the game.

"We had trouble getting into the game in the first few minutes," Tevez said. "We knew Mexico was going to press from the onset, try to take the ball away from us in the first minutes and try to hurt us."

The Mexicans couldn't, and Argentina has won all four of its matches in the tournament.